INDOOR TANNING: It’s about control

You Don’t Have it Outdoors...

Indoor tanning allows you to control exactly what kind and how much ultraviolet light your skin receives every time you tan. That reduces your risk of ever contracting a sunburn. It also allows you to eliminate all of the variables outdoors, such as:

SeasonalityDepending on the time of the year, the sunlight you receive is more or less tense. Gauging this sometimes is tricky.

LocationAre you tanning at the beach, where surrounding sand acts as a reflector for ultraviolet light? Are you skiing, where snow has the same effect? Are you in the water, where UV light penetrates beneath the surface more than you might think? Your surroundings affect the intensity of ultraviolet light outdoors.

GeographyAre you in Columbus, Ohio, or Charlotte, North Carolina? The intensity of sunlight increases the closer you get to Earth’s equator, affecting the amount of time it takes you to sunburn.

Weather ConditionsIs it partly cloudy or sunny? Is it overcast completely or raining? A significant amount of UV light penetrates through clouds even on an overcast day. But the intensity varies, depending on the cloudiness.

AltitudeAre you at sea level or in the mountains? Even if you are in the foothills, sun intensity is greater at higher altitudes, another factor the average person can’t gauge accurately outdoors.

Ozone LayerRegular changes in the Earth’s ozone layer affect the amount of ultraviolet light from the sun that reaches the planet surface. It is virtually impossible to know from day to day how these conditions will change.

Worry about SunburnHave you ever spent a day outside, only to be surprised at the end of the day by a sunburn? Or maybe you didn’t get a sunburn when you expected you might. All of the variables listed above make tanning outdoors a guessing game.

We’ve Got it Indoors!When tanning indoors, a tanner enjoys:

ControlYou always know exactly what kind of ultraviolet you are getting and exactly how long you’ll be getting it.

ConvenienceYou never have to worry about inclement weather. It is always sunny and warm in your favorite tanning salon.

SpeedIt doesn’t take all day at the beach to get an indoor tan. Depending on your skin, a few quick sessions a week is all it takes to obtain a golden brown tan.

The main advantage of tanning indoors is the reduced risk of contracting a sunburn. That’s because indoor tanning units use carefully controlled dosage of ultraviolet light in each session. Your successive session times are engineered to deliver tanning results while minimizing your risk of sunburn.

Anti-tanning lobbyists miss the point when they state that tanning units are more intense than sunlight: Intensity is only part of the equation. Exposure times in tanning units are much shorter than outdoor tanners would experience outdoors.

Total UV= Intensity x Duration

Because indoor tanning times vary from 5-30 minutes, and because outdoor tanners might spend four hours or more in the sun, total UV received indoors is probably less than one would receive tanning outdoors.

All Smart Tanners Wear Eye Protection

Federal law requires this facility to supply you with proper eye protection. It is your responsibility to wear it.

You must wear special eyewear that meets federal guidelines for use in this facility. Sunglasses are not adequate protection in a tanning unit.

Indoor tanning eyewear stops 99 percent of UVA light and 99.9 percent of UVB light, allowing only visible light through so you can see while you tan.

Eyewear must meet federal government standards to be used in an indoor tanning facility. Special eyewear that meets government standards will be labeled “21 CFR” somewhere on its packaging. This means that the eyewear will:

Block 99 percent of UVA light emitted by the tanning unit

Block 99.9 percent of UVB light emitted by the tanning unit.

Allow visible light to pass through the lens so the tanner can see.

Sunglasses, towels or cotton balls are not adequate protection. They do not block visible ultraviolet rays adequately to protect your eyes from damage.

It’s Not an Option in Professional Salons

Your skin can tan-your eyes cannot. That’s why it is absolutely necessary for you to wear the special eye protection provided to you in a professional indoor tanning facility.

You risk serious injury to your eyes if you fail to wear your protective eyewear You can eliminate that risk by simply using the eyewear supplied to you by this facility or by purchasing your own special pair that meets federal standards for indoor tanning usage.Left unprotected, ultraviolet light penetrates deep into your eyes when you tan , Specifically, the short waves of UVB penetrate the cornea, possibly causing painful corneal eye burns. But the UVB spectrum can penetrate the lens or retina, causing retinal burns or even cataracts and other long-term internal eye damage. Night blindness are attributed to long-term ultraviolet exposure to your eyes.Because some of these conditions take years to develop, you might not realize you are damaging your eyes to develop, you might not realize you are damaging your eyes when you fail to wear eyewear. Merely closing your eyelids while you tan is not enough! Your thin eyelids do not stop the invisible rays of ultraviolet light from penetrating through to your eyes.

SMART TANNING: Respecting the Whole Story

“Smart Tanning” means respecting both the risks and the benefits involved with sun exposure and making intelligent decisions based on that information . This professional indoor tanning facility wants to help you understand that balance.

Avoid the Extremes

There is an incredible amount of misinformation circulating about ultraviolet light exposure today. Some anti-tanning lobbyists suggest that any sun exposure is bad for you, while some pro-tanning advocates say that indoor tanning is completely safe. Both of these statements are false and misleading. They won’t help you make an intelligent decision about your sun exposure habits.

Find the Middle Ground

This professional indoor tanning facility believes that moderate tanning - for those who can develop a tan- is the smartest way to maximize the potential benefits of sun exposure while minimizing the risks associated with too much sunlight. If you cannot tan, we want to teach you smart sunburn prevention.

The ‘Golden Rule’ of Smart Tanning

Appropriate levels of sunlight are different for every different person, but the Golden Rule of Smart Tanning is the same for everyone: Don’t ever sunburn.

By law, American indoor tanning facilities cannot say that indoor tanning is safe or therapeutic. That’s because there are risks involved with overexposure to sunlight. But, as an intelligent consumer, you deserve to get a balanced picture of what scientific research is saying about ultraviolet light in general.

There is no doubt that overexposure to ultraviolet light carries risks. Generally, the lighter your untanned skin is, the greater those risks may be.

Skin cancer rates generally are higher in sunny parts of the world, but other types of cancer are less frequent as one gets closer to the equator. One theory is that increased exposure to sunlight reduces the risk for many kinds of cancer.

Melanoma skin cancer’s link to sunlight is unclear. Melanoma is most common in people who do not receive regular sun exposure and most frequently develops on parts of the body that are not regularly exposed to sunlight. Heredity appears to be the biggest risk factor.

Researchers are continuing to explore the theory that some types of cancer- including breast, colon, prostate and ovarian cancers- may be inhibited by regular sun exposure. This link is unclear and needs further study.

Sunlight is the body’s only natural source of vitamin D3. This vitamin- critical for proper bone development- is rare in our diet. How much sun you need to produce adequate vitamin D is unclear, but depends on your location, the season, your skin type and your age. In very sunny climates, daily incidental exposure maybe all you need.

No research has yet proven that any of the positive effects of sunshine are realized in indoor tanning equipment, and American tanning facilities are prohibited from making therapeutic claims about tanning beds.

Moderation is the Key

This professional tanning salon is committed to helping you make sense of all of the information circulating about ultraviolet light exposure. we want to teach you the tanning process and how to enjoy moderate tanning, based on your skin type, as a life-long activity.

Unfortunately, most anti-tanning hype today is political and not scientific. Most of it takes the good idea of sunburn prevention and twists it into an all-out “sun abstinence” message. For example, the most aggressive anti-tanning lobbyists in America today recommend year-round, daily use of sunscreen in any climate. Sunscreen is a good product with a n intelligent usage, but such over-use is not warranted by any scientific data.

What’s a consumer to do with all of this misinformation floating around? Practice intelligent moderation and be critical of information pointing to either extreme. That’s a philosophy you can live with.

Avoid SunburnIf you remeber nothing else, remember this cardinal rule of tanning. Sunburn is the enemy most associated with permanent skin damage. It occurs when tiny blood vessels in your skin burst from getting too much sun exposure. Whether tanning inside or outside, never burn yourself intentionally. Many people falsely assume that sunburns will eventually “fade” into tans. This is not so. Sunburn is an injury on top of your tanned skin.The operators of this tanning facility are trained to do everything in their power to help you tan moderately and minimize your risk of getting burned. That’s why we call a controlled indoor tanning program a “Smart Tan.”

Learn Your Skin Type

What is a Smart Tan?

Like so many things in life, moderation is the key to enjoying your tan. Rather than having you shy away from the sun- and rather than baking yourself recklessly in its rays- the managers of this tanning salon encourage you to consider their “Smart Tanning” agenda.More than anything, a “Smart Tan” is a comprehensive concept of sun safety, with an eye on living a practical life. Whether frolicking on the beaches in July or tanning in an indoor tanning facility in December, “Smart Tanning” involves considering easy and reasonable preventive steps to care for your skin.Follow this agenda closely, and you’ll reap the benefits of having a “Smart Tan.”

Avoid SunburnIf you remember nothing else, remember this cardinal rule of tanning. Sunburn is the enemy most associated with permanent skin damage. It occurs when tiny blood vessels in your skin burst from getting too much sun exposure. Whether tanning inside or outside, never burn yourself intentionally. Many people falsely assume that sunburns will eventually “fade” into tans. This is not so. Sunburn is an injury on top of your tanned skin.The operators of this tanning facility are trained to do everything in their power to help you tan moderately and minimize your risk of getting burned. That’s why we call a controlled indoor tanning program a “Smart Tan.”

Learn Your Skin TypeBefore sunbathing or sun-bedding, learn your “skin type.” Does your skin burn after playing volleyball for only an hour in the afternoon sun? Or do your friends consider you lucky because you can lounge on the beach for hours at a time with no fear of getting sunburned? By knowing your skin type, your salon professional can help you determine the best tanning schedule. There are six distinct skin types; each reacts differently to sun exposure.

Protect Yourself OutdoorsWhen recreating outdoors, wear appropriate full-spectrum sunscreens-even if you already have a tan. Remember, you can still tan while wearing sunblock, and you can still sunburn if you have a tan! Smart Tanners do everything they can to reduce their risk of contracting sunburn.You also should wear hats whenever possible while outdoors, particularly if you have a receding or thinning hair. The top of the head is especially sensitive to sun burn. The shade a hat provides will also help reduce the amount of sunlight on your face and ears, also common sites of sunburn.Young children should be especially careful outdoors. Their young skin, which is still developing, is especially vulnerable to damage caused by sunburn. In fact, studies show that most of the sunburn damage to your skin occurs before your 18th birthday.

Protect Your Eyes!Eyelids are not sufficient protection from ultraviolet light, whether you are tanning outdoors or indoors. Over time, UV light can damage the eyes causing retinal burns, cataracts and even night blindness. Outdoors, you should use sunglasses that block ultraviolet A and B rays. When tanning indoors, always wear indoor tanning goggles that meet federal protection standards.

Check Your MedicationsIf you are taking any medications, please let one of our staff members know. Some medications can cause reactions with UV light, so it is important that you tell us.

Learn Your Skin Typemedical experts have identified six skin types:

Skin Type I-Burns easily and never tans. These people most likely have bright white skin, blue or green eyes and freckles, which usually reveals an English, Irish or Scottish heritage. People with type I skin should not tan indoors or outdoors. Their skin is unable to produce significant amounts of melanin to protect them from sunburns that can lead to skin damage.

Skin Type II-Can tan, but still susceptible to sunburn. Common traits include brown or blue eyes, red or blond hair and freckles. Heritage usually English, Scottish or Scandinavian. Type II tanners should be cautious and take any precautions to avoid sunburn.

Skin Type III-Tans easily, but still susceptible to moderate sunburns. The most common skin type in America. These people often have brown eyes, dark hair and Central European heritage.

Skin Type IV-Tans easily and almost never burns. These people often have dark eyes, dark hair and Mediterranean, Oriental or Hispanic heritage.

Skin Type V-Rarely burns and tans easily and cumulatively. These people have dark hair and eyes and are of Indian, American Indian, Hispanic or African decent.

Skin Type VI-Can tan despite their black skin. Never sunburns. They usually have dark hair and are Africans, African-Americans or aborigines.